Dustin Rowe family

A long list of supporters of 2nd District candidate Dustin Rowe gathered in Durant last night to raise money for Rowe”s campaign and hear former Congressman Wes Watkins and his wife, Lou, endorse Rowe.

A report put the crowd estimate at 150.

Rowe seeks the Republican nomination for Congress. An attorney, he’s the former mayor of Tishomingo (elected while he was still in high school) and once served on Watkins’ congressional staff.

Watkins, in an announcement for the event, wrote, “As a former member of my Congressional staff, I know Dustin Rowe to be a common sense, hardworking, outstanding young man with high moral values and tremendous ability. Lou and I know the citizens of the 2nd Congressional District would be well-served if they elect Dustin Rowe as their Congressman.”

The joint proposal represents a tax cut of over $218 million to Oklahomans when fully implemented in FY 2014, and would cut taxes by an additional $121.4 million in FY 2015 should the growth trigger be reached. Lost revenue is partially offset by tax reforms totaling $117 million when fully implemented in FY 2014. These reforms include the elimination of 33 tax credits, the elimination of certain deductions and the elimination of the personal exemption for single filers making over $35,000 and joint filers making over $70,000.

The new plan also simplifies the tax code by dropping the total number of tax brackets from seven to three. New rates will be set at 1 percent, 3.3 percent and 4.8 percent.

“This proposal represents a significant income tax cut and an important step forward for Oklahoma,” Fallin said. “Our plan is a responsible proposal that will go hand in hand with a budget that protects and supports all core functions of government. It also delivers a substantial tax cut that will allow Oklahomans to keep more of their hard-earned money while improving the environment for job recruitment and job retention in the state. I applaud both House and Senate leaders for coming together on this issue and giving the people of Oklahoma some well-deserved tax relief.”

House Speaker Kris Steele also spoke in support of the plan.

“Collections through April of this year are now $350 million higher than originally expected,” said Steele. “Oklahoma is growing. We have a choice to either spend all that money on more government, or give it back to the hardworking people of Oklahoma. We choose the latter. An income tax cut is not only the smart thing to do for Oklahoma’s economy, it’s the right thing to do for our citizens.”

Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman said the tax cut would help small business owners while protecting core government services.

“Today’s tentative agreement gives the people of Oklahoma a real and meaningful tax cut,” said Bingman.  “Senate Republicans have always believed lowering the tax burden is an important part of creating jobs and economic freedom in Oklahoma.  And today, we’ve taken an important step forward that shows the people of Oklahoma they can count on us to keep our word.  This plan will help more of our private sector citizens and small business owners be the innovators, entrepreneurs, and drivers of our state economy—all while protecting important core government services like teaching in the classroom.”

Politico

The Republican National Committee just got a taste of life under the new GOP order in Nevada.

Thanks to the efforts of Ron Paul supporters, the Clark County GOP — the largest in the key swing state — voted narrowly Tuesday to censure RNC Chairman Reince Priebus and demand his resignation.

His crime? Priebus is accused of violating RNC Rule 11(a), which stipulates that the Republican National Committee cannot “contribute money or in-kind aid to any candidate for any public or party office except the nominee of the Republican Party or a candidate who is unopposed in the Republican primary.”

The resolution asserts that Priebus broke party rules when he announced April 25 that the RNC was setting up a joint fundraising operation with Romney since there were still candidates — namely Ron Paul — in the race at that time.

A Detroit groundskeeper, who turned in a loaded handgun he found hidden in  weeds while working, was fired by the Wayne County Department of Public  Services, MyFoxDetroit.com reports.

John Chevilott, who is just two years shy of retirement, found the loaded  snub-nosed revolver on May 3 when he and his crew were mowing a lawn in Wayne  County. Chevilott secured the gun, waiting for police to drive by so he could  hand it over to them.

But, according to the station, the Detroit police never did pass by, so  Chevilott finished his work that day, drove the gun home and later that same  evening turned it into his local police department.

He says the cops ran the gun and discovered the weapon had been stolen from  St. Clair Shores in 2005.

“They said I did the right thing getting it off the street,” Chevilott told  MyFoxDetroit.com.

However, Chevilott’s superiors at the Wayne County Department of Public  Services had a much different opinion. His foreman, who had knowledge of the  situation, was suspended for 30 days, and after 23 years on the job, Chevilott  was fired for violating department policies.

According to a Wayne County spokeswoman and the rules, employees aren’t  allowed to possess a weapon on work property.

Chevilott says he didn’t bring a weapon to work. He found it on the job.

“There is no policy. I’ve never seen a policy what to do if we find a gun out  here. So, all I did was secure the situation to make sure nobody else got hurt  or killed.”

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/15/detroit-groundskeeper-fired-after-finding-loaded-gun-handing-it-to-cops/?intcmp=obnetwork#ixzz1v71g29Kh

Senator Sean Burrage

Senator Sean Burrage, D-Claremore, criticized the Senate Rules Committee today after it refused to consider Governor Fallin’s nomination of former Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth to serve on the State Election Board.

“Today the people of Oklahoma have been done a tremendous disservice.  A dedicated, intelligent and proven public servant was denied the courtesy of an up or down vote on his nomination by our Governor to serve on the State Election Board.  The reason given was that he was too partisan.  It seems unbelievable that anyone would have the nerve to say that when at the very same meeting a current Vice Chairman of the 1^st District of the Republican Party was given approval.

“Our statutes allow for members of the Election Board to be registered and even active in a political party.  I find it hard to believe his political registration is the issue here.   The fact is the Governor was able to look at the man’s experience and qualifications and make her decision based on that.  It is a shame and Oklahoma’s loss that the Senate Rules Committee would not do the same.”

Michael Behenna

Florida Congressman Allen West today invoked the name of imprisoned Army 1st Lt. Michael Behenna of Edmond in a letter criticizing the Obama Administration’s release of a known Hezbollah terrorist to the Iraqi court system.

West wrote of the decision, involving a terrorist responsible for the murder of an Army officer and four other service members:  “It is with great disappointment and concern that I write to President Barack Obama today with regards to Ali Musa Daqduq and the decision by the Administration to release this madman to an Iraqi court, who in turn set this known terrorist free.

“Ali Musa Daqduq led a well-planned and coordinated attack in Karbala, Iraq in 2007 in which one American soldier, Captain Brian Freeman, was killed and four other service members were abducted and later murdered. > The Administration mistakenly used the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA),  which required Iraqi citizens to be handed over to Iraq before December of 2011, as a reasoning for Daqduq’s release to an Iraqi court.  However, since Ali Musa Daqduq was born in Lebanon, and was in fact a Lebanese citizen at the time of his capture, SOFA should not have applied to him.

“As someone who served 22 years in the United States Army and served in both Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom, I can tell you that true leadership means making responsible decisions, not necessarily popular ones.  The President had options when dealing with this terrorist.  Daqduq could have been transferred to Guantanamo Bay where he could have been tried in front of a military commission.

“The fact that our President makes these kinds of decisions, while American soldiers like Michael Behenna, William Hunsaker, and Joseph Mayo remain imprisoned at Fort Leavenworth for incidents that occurred during the heat of battle, is pure hypocricy (sic).

“I find the release of Ali Musa Daqduq to be an utter betrayal, not only to those who perished at the hands of this terrorist, but to all men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I ask President Obama for a prompt and personal response to this decision. As the Commander-in-Chief,  he owes the American people nothing less.”

For a copy of the letter Rep. West sent to President Obama, click here. http://west.congressnewsletter.net/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=2100088674.17517.297&gen=1&mailing_linkid=9785.